The Deceitfulness of Shame
shame: 1 a : a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety b : the susceptibility to such emotion <have you no shame?>2 : a condition of humiliating disgrace or disrepute : ignominy <the shame of being arrested>3 a : something that brings censure or reproach; also : something to be regretted : pity <it’s a shame you can’t go> b : a cause of feeling shame (Merriam-Webster Online)
Shame is a powerful device effective in making people believe they are separated from the love of God. However, God does not remove His Love from us. The Word says He will never leave us nor forsake us. Shame can only lead to separation from the Lord when we believe what our shameful emotions are saying.
Shame would have you believe that God will never accept you because of what you have done. Shame makes you feel inferior because of your weaknesses and paralyzes you from worshiping God and interacting with Him. Shame causes us to try to run and hide from an All-Seeing, All-Knowing God.
We have the ability to take the power away from shame. One: we can resist temptation: “resist the devil and he will flee”; two: we can renew our minds by studying God’s Word and being in His presence so that we might be able to withstand the enemy and his pitfalls; three: if shame tries to set in we can instead take the situation to God in prayer. We can repent from our actions, seek God’s forgiveness and know that we need not linger in shame and condemnation. We can instead focus on submitting to the Lord so that He can help us overcome our weaknesses.
Depend on Him to change you today.
James 4:7-8 (New International Version)
7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Lamentations 3:22-23 (New International Version)
22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
